Paper feeding machine



Juhe 16, 1931. H. HALLSTREAM 1,810,171

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE -F'iled May 14, 1924 Patented June 1, 133

Main

siren stares HENNTNG HALLSTR, @F BRQCK'ION, MASSACHUTSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 GROSS PAPER FEEDER -COMPANY, SET'IS BQSTON, MASSAQH'USETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- PAPER FEEDING MACE Application filed May 14, 1924. Serial No. $13,233.

The invention relates to paper feeding machines which se arate individual sheets from a pile or ban and forward them in succession to a mechanism or machine for operating thereon;

The object of the invention is to provide a sheet separating and feeding mechanism of the suction feed wheel type which is well adapted for high speed operation in separating sheets of any size from a bank or pile and delivering them in regular succession to a folder or other machine or operating upon sheets. To this end the invention comprises the features of construction and combinations'of parts hereinafter described and referred to in the claims.

A11 embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyi 1g drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section showing so much of a continuous paper feeding machine as is necessary to illustrate the application of the present invention thereto; and Figure 2 is a partial plan view.

In the drawings the invention is shown embodied in a paper feeder of the continuous type in which a bank of feathered or fanned-out sheets is fed from an upper delivery table through a reversing throat and onto a lower feed table, the forward end of which is indicated at 2. The individual sheets are separated from the front end of the bank and presented to continuously acting delivery devices comprising the lower continuousl rotating rolls 4 and the upper rolls 6 which are continuously pressed against the lower rolls.

The means for separating individual sheets from the forward end of the bank and feeding them to the delivery rolls comprises a suction feed wheel 8 having its rim perforated to cooperate with an internal suction nozzle 10 in creating a suction through the rim for feeding forward the top sheet. The suction through the rim is controlled by the advancing sheet so that as the forward edge of the sheet reaches a predetermined point, the suction through the rim of the wheel is cut out or stopped and is again re-started as the rear edge of the sheet passes beyond said point. By thus controlling both the stopping and starting of .the suction by the sheet, sheets of any length may be separated and delivered inrapid succession without requiring adjustment or re-timmg of the separating mechanism for different lengths of sheets. A mech- 'anism having this general mode of operation is shown and described in application Serial No. 686,528, filed J an. 16, 1924:, and the mechanism of the present application is in the nature of an improvement thereon permitting a more rapid operation and resetting of the suction controlling devices and consequently a more rapid separation and delivery of the successive sheets.

In the construction shown, the suction nozzle is continuously in active relation to the rim of the suction wheel and the suction through the rim is stopped and re-startedby a sheet controlled cut-out valve. For the sake of simplicity in construction and rapidity in operation, the valve is controlled from a sheet operated electric trip finger which makes and breaks an electric circuit to close and open the valve.

As shown, the suction nozzle is in the form of a box adapted to fit snugly against the inner surface of the wheel rim and provided with a series of portholes 12 adapted to re ister with the rows of perforations 14 whic extend substantially from side to side and about the periphery of the rim. The suction wheel is secured to a continu ously rotating shaft 16 so mounted that the rocking movementv of the sleeve into and out of register with a corresponding Series of slots 38 formed in that part of the valve casing which is surrounded by the sleeve. The means for operating the cut-out valve comprises a solenoid magnet 40, thearmature 42 of which is connected by a link 44 with an arm 46 projecting upward from the valve sleeve. \Vhen the magnet is energized, the valve is rocked into position to shut off communication between the valve casing and the atmosphere so that a suction is produced through the suction nozzle and feed wheel. WV hen 'the magnet is deenergized, the valve sleeve is moved by a spring 48 intothe position'indicated in Figure 1 to open communication between the valve casing and the atmosphere, thus cutting out or destroying the suction through the nozzle and feed wheel.

The operation of the magnet and cut out valve is controlled by a sheet operated switch included in the magnet circuit. As shown, this switch comprises a contact strip 50 carried bv a trip finger 52 and a contact in 54 carried by the block 56 on which the finger 52 is pivoted at 58. The block 56 and trip finger 52 are formed of non-conducting material and the block is secured to a rod 60, which in turn is secured for fore and aft adjustment in a bracket 62. The bracket 62 is secured by a clamping screw 64 to a transverse rod 66 so that it may be adjusted laterally as required. The contact pin 54; is connected by a wire 68 with one of the lead wires-from a source of electric current and the contact strip 50 is connected by a wire 70 with abinding screw 72, which in turn is connected by a wire 74 with one of the terminals of the magnet 40. The other terminal of the magnet is connected by a wire 76 with one of the terminals of a supply switch 78, the other terminal of which is connected by a wire 80 with the other line wire of the supply circuit.

When no sheet is passin r under the trip finger it swings down below the plane of the guide wires 82 and the contact 50 engages the contact '54 completing the magnet circuit so that the cut-out valve is closed and a suction )roduced through the suction nozzle and w eel. The wheel, therefore, feeds forward the top sheet until its forward edge passes between the delivery rolls and engages the trip finger raising it into the position indicated in Figure 1, and thus disengaging the contact 50 from the contact 54 and opening the magnet circuit. The spring 48 then immediately rocks the valve sleeve into the position indicated in Figure 1, opening the exhaust pipe to the atmosphere between the pipe and suction nozzle so that suction through the nozzle and wheel eases during the delivery of the sheet by the delivery rolls. As the sheet is delivcred, the trip linger rides on the top of the sheet and remains in the position indicated in Figure 1. As the rear-end of the sheet passes from beneath the finger, it again drops down, completing the circuit through the magnet which quickly rocks the cut-out valve sleeve into closed position and restores or re-starts the suction through the suction nozzle and feed wheel so that the next sheet is immediately taken by the feed wheel and advanced to the delivery rolls and trip linger. By adjustment of the trip finger toward or from the front end of the bank, the point at which the cut-out operates and the space between the rear edge of one sheet and the front edge of the succeeding sheet may be varied as desired.

The front edges of the sheets at the forward end of-the bank rest against and are supported by upwardly supported inclined guide fingers 84c and the upper sheet is raised into engagement with the rim of the wheel by the action of air blasts directed by blower nozzles 86 in an upwardly inclined direction against the front edge of the bank. The air blasts also serve to insure the separation of the top sheet from the sheets beneath it when the top sheet. is drawn against the rim of the wheel by the suction therethrough and also serves to wind the top sheet so that it may be readily removed from the bank and carried away by the delivery rolls. The bank of sheets is fed forward over the feed table by the usual feed tapes,88 which are actuated by feed mechanism controlled from the front end of the bank to maintain it in proper relation to the feed wheel as the fanned-out sheets are successively removed.

The valve within the supply valve casing 28 which controls the supply of air to the blower nozzles and also the communication between the suetion device and the suction nozzle is connected by a link 90 to one arm of a lever 92 which is secured to a transverse rock shaft 94 and the other arm of which is acted on by a spring 96 which tends to rock the shaft in a direction to close the supply valve and thus stop the operation of the machine. The shaft is mounted within a hollow pipe 98 which extends across the machine, and the shaft. when thrown into operating position, as indicated in Fig. 1. is held in this position by suitable latching devices. The end of the shaft is provided with two arms 100 ar ranged to engage the handle 102 of the supply switch 78 and turn the switch on when the supply valve is moved into operating position and to turn the switch off when the supply valve is moved into position to stop the operation of the machine.

While it is preferred to employ the construction and arrangement of parts shown and described in embodying the invention in a feeder of the continuous type, this construction and arrangement is not essential to the broader features of the invention and may be varied or modified as found delie I sirable or best suited to the mode of operation and construction of the feeding mechanism in which it is to be embodied or of the mechanism to which the sheets are to be fed.

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet feeding machine having, in

combination, a suction feed Wheel having a perforated rim. a suction nozzle within the rim over which it travels, a cut-out valve for reducing the suction through the nozzle, an electro-inagnet foroperating the valve, and a switch in the magnet circuit operated by the sheet advanced by the wheel.

2. A sheet feeding machine having, in combination, a suction feed wheel having a perforated rim, a suction nozzle Within the rim over which it travels, a cut-out valve for controlling the suction through the nozzle, a spring for holding the valve in position to reduce the suction through the nozzle, an electro-magnet for operating the valve to restore the suction, a trip arranged to ride on the sheet advanced by the wheel, and a switch in the magnet circuit operated by the trip.

3. A sheet feeding machine having, in combination, a suction feed wheel. having a perforated rim, a suction nozzle within the rim over which it travels, a suction conduit connected with the nozzle, a cut-out valve in the conduit comprising a slotted casing forming a part of the conduit, a slotted sleeve surrounding the casing, a spring for holding the sleeve with the slots in register, an electro-magnct, an armature connected with the sleeve and adapted to move the latter in opposition to the spring when the magnet is energized, two contacts in the magnet circuit, and a sheet operated trip carrying one of said contacts.

4. A. sheet feeding machine having, in combination, a suction feed wheel provided with a perforated rim, a suction nozzle within the rim, a suction conduit connected with the nozzle, a cut-out valve having provision for opening the conduit to atmosphere, a spring for normally holding the valve in one position, an electro-magnet, an armature for the electro-magnet connected with the valve and adapted to move the latter in opposition to the spring when the magnet is energized, and a sheet operated trip for controlling energization of the electroanagnet.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HENN IN G HALLSTREAM. 

